Obby Khan’s baseless attack on The Winnipeg Sun exposes his true colours

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On Thursday, Obby Khan sent out a public message that dripped with pettiness and dishonesty, forcing me to respond. It wasn’t an announcement of policy or a vision for leadership, it was a desperate attempt to smear this newspaper and avoid tough questions.

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Khan’s public statement accuses The Winnipeg Sun of bias, misrepresents facts, and reeks of political cowardice. This is not the kind of behaviour Manitobans expect — or deserve — from someone seeking to lead.

Let’s begin with the facts. In his statement, Khan suggests that The Winnipeg Sun is compromised because Wally Daudrich, a candidate in the PC leadership race, is a shareholder in Klein Group Ltd., the parent company of The Sun. Khan implied that this created a conflict of interest so severe that his campaign declined an invitation to a leadership debate hosted by this newspaper. Let me be clear: Daudrich is one of over 15 shareholders in Klein Group. He has no editorial influence, no role in the paper’s operations, and no ability to sway its reporting. To claim otherwise is deliberately misleading.

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Khan’s statement becomes outright ridiculous when he refers to the debate invitation as coming from a so-called “Daudrich-Klein Sun Group.” No such entity exists. It’s a fabrication, plain and simple. The debate was intended to give the candidates an opportunity to present their ideas to Manitobans, but instead of engaging, Khan chose to hide behind a baseless narrative of bias.

Here’s what really happened: Khan’s public message, released at 11:20 a.m., accused The Sun of attempting to host a biased debate. Seven minutes later, at 11:27 a.m., his campaign emailed The Sun to decline the invitation, citing the same false narrative. The sequence of events makes it clear that Khan was more interested in smearing the paper than addressing the actual offer. He didn’t ask who would moderate the debate, what questions would be asked, or how it would be structured. Instead, he defaulted to attacks and evasion.

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This isn’t the first time Khan has ducked accountability. He criticized me for exposing questionable PC Party expenses, including payments to a sexologist disguised as car rentals. He accused me of attacking the party, but telling the truth isn’t an attack — it’s a public service. Khan seems to confuse transparency with treachery, hoping Manitobans won’t notice the difference.

Khan’s behaviour follows a troubling pattern of contradiction and avoidance. While he presents himself as a leader committed to integrity, the fact that a former business partner is suing him for over $400,000 raises serious questions about his credibility and ethics. For a business relationship to deteriorate to the point of a lawsuit speaks volumes about his professionalism — or lack thereof. Instead of addressing these legitimate concerns, Khan deflects by attacking this newspaper for reporting the facts. This kind of evasive behaviour does not inspire trust or confidence in his ability to lead.

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Obby Khan’s actions continue to raise serious questions about his judgment and alliances. As a Progressive Conservative MLA for Fort Whyte, Khan co-signed a letter defending Arij Al Khafagi, who was suspended from the University of Manitoba for a social media post comparing Israelis to Nazis. Alongside Richard Perchotte, the PC critic for advanced education, Khan downplayed the offensive post, labeling it as simply “passionate.” This alone casts doubt on his commitment to unity and responsible leadership. Adding to the controversy, Khan was recently photographed with Ramsey Zeid, the president of the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba, who has shared social media posts glorifying violence, including one depicting a Palestinian lion devouring a rat draped in an Israeli flag. Such associations are deeply troubling and undermine Khan’s credibility as someone who claims to represent all Manitobans fairly and without bias.

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Khan’s behaviour is anything but inspiring for someone who aspires to lead. Leadership is about rising above the fray, answering tough questions and demonstrating integrity. Instead, Khan lobs petty accusations, avoids scrutiny, and hopes no one notices the cracks in his façade.

Let me also remind Khan that this newspaper has not shown favouritism toward any candidate in this race. I’ve publicly described the leadership contest as uninspiring and even floated the idea of forming a new conservative party. If that’s bias, then perhaps honesty is too much for some politicians to handle.

What’s most disappointing is how Khan’s antics distract from the real issues facing Manitobans. Instead of addressing the challenges of crime, health care, and economic growth, he’s focused on fabricating conflicts and taking petty shots at those who hold him accountable. This is not the behaviour of a unifier, a visionary or a leader.

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Manitobans deserve leaders who face scrutiny with integrity, not evade it with smears. Obby Khan’s childish attack on this newspaper is a disservice to the democratic process and a glaring example of his inability to handle accountability.

Leadership is not about dodging tough questions or inventing enemies to distract from one’s shortcomings. It’s about stepping up, answering with honesty, and showing respect for the public’s intelligence. Khan has shown he is more interested in theatrics than leadership.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at wpgsun.letters@kleinmedia.ca

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